Mike Shula's Offense

[JawnyBlaze]

A lot of what I'm seeing is "if every offensive player is perfect, then Shula's gameplan would work fine!"  Well if we had All-Pros at every position, I could go out there and be a successful OC for this team.  Our offense will never have the greatest players of all time at each position.  The job of the OC is more than conceptualizing plays.  It's putting the players we do have in the best position to succeed in the situation they are in.  And Shula is horrid at that.  Flea flicker to Cotchery???  I still can't get over that one.

[firefox1234]

Sometimes I ponder if we have some of the worst or luckiest coaching staff in the world....

[B.BERSIN]

Our defense has scored too. But yeah I think our offense is better now.

[panthers55]

A lot of what I'm seeing is "if every offensive player is perfect, then Shula's gameplan would work fine!"  Well if we had All-Pros at every position, I could go out there and be a successful OC for this team.  Our offense will never have the greatest players of all time at each position.  The job of the OC is more than conceptualizing plays.  It's putting the players we do have in the best position to succeed in the situation they are in.  And Shula is horrid at that.  Flea flicker to Cotchery???  I still can't get over that one.

That is ridiculous logic or lack thereof.  We are scoring almost 28 points a game during our win streak and we have one pro-bowler on offense this year.  We don't have the greatest players and still we are doing pretty well. So your whole argument is totally rebutted by our current production which is totally due to have a decent line and a good run game because of that line.  Shula has done a great job using back up quarterbacks, rookies and guys with little if no experience and he has worked them into a decent unit.

 

Sure out of 60-70 plays during a game you can find a few bad plays but even then you don't know if it was the playcalling, poor execution, an audible Cam called or simply a great play by the defense.  But lets not facts get in the way here.

[panthers55]

Opinions are like assholes: everyone has one.  That's what it comes down to at the end of the day. You know mine, and I know yours. People use "facts" all the time to justify whatever opinions that they want to support. 

 

No need for the song and dance. Just agree to disagree like intelligent men, and move on.

Actually intelligent men choose to look at the facts and let them influence their decisions and are willing to adjust their opinions when the facts suggest as they overwhelming do now.  Those who keep the same opinion and then look for facts which just agree with their already formed opinion are not considered by most folks as intelligent. Most folks on here do the latter not the former.

[ed bell]

I think the offensive philosophy is really what some folks don't like. Personally, I just want a lot more success in the Red Zone. I don't care how we get there

[panthers55]

I think the offensive philosophy is really what some folks don't like. Personally, I just want a lot more success in the Red Zone. I don't care how we get there

You mean the philosophy of control the clock, run the ball and keep the ball out of the opponents hands.  not sexy but pretty effective.  

 

As for the redzone, one of the guys we really counted on, Benjamin id struggling catching balls in the redzone, Plus Tolbert doesn't look like he did last year.  We don't seem to have a lot of good weapons besides Cam and Greg down there.

[Ricky Spanish]

Still not convinced he's doing well enough to not be upgraded. His gadget plays seem to be cute enough for first downs though. Shula is also good at calling plays between the 20's. As soon he hits the red-zone though, everything just stalls. HE becomes predictable and calls some real head scratchers, like he is still in ball control mode instead of go for the throat mode. 

 

[chknwing]

offense goes as the oline goes which is much better also defense has been putting the offense in good field position.  Shula looks better because of this.  Hes still garbage.

[firefox1234]

I think the offensive philosophy is really what some folks don't like. Personally, I just want a lot more success in the Red Zone. I don't care how we get there

 

THIS x10000000000

 

Im tired of getting to the redzone(which is a mircale in Shula's offense)then coming out with only 3, its a proven facts that the more points you can score the higher chance you have of winning!

[gtanaka]

The defense has also played a huge part in our scoring. Whether its defensive touchdowns or getting turnovers and setting us up with great field position

[UNCrules2187]

Honestly, the only game where the offense truly looked good was vs. New Orleans.

 

The Bucs and Browns games were closer than they should have been (altho caveat Cam not playing vs. the Bucs and likely not 100% vs the Browns).

 

The Atlanta game the offense started hot and then kind of faltered (as well as the D scoring 2 TDs and giving the offense the ball at the 5-6 yard line on one possestion). 

 

And in the Cardinals game, we again benefited from shorter fields (7 points directly because we had the ball inside the 5 and even that needed a 3rd & Goal PI call).

 

I still don't think Shula's game plans are that great. Why were we throwing so much up 27-14 vs. Arizona? There was no need. I understand keeping the defense honest, but we were getting pretty decent gains on runs and the only way the Cards would get back into the game would be through our own mistakes. 

 

I would still be in favor of canning Shula and finding a new OC. Win in Seattle and maybe I'll get off his case.

[CarolinaXblue]

We have got to capitalize in the redzone. We waste too many trips with no points or 3 points. Shula I feel like gets nervous with cam in the redzone. He's gonna have to believe in him.

[PghPanther]

I'm a believer in moving the chains on long drives banging out 3 to 8 yards at a time..........with the goal of mixing up the first two downs with options/play action pass, read options etc.......to get to a 3rd and short situation then trying a short yard option or even a pass (short but beyond the first down marker) where Cam can scramble to get the first down and slide.

 

I don't like taking big chances on 2nd and short unless its late in the game and you are behind..........

 

Two of those type of drives down the field a game use up lots of time off the clock especially early in the game and exhaust the opposing teams D in the 3rd and 4th quarters..........

 

Shula tends to have the first two downs as runs up the middle and leaves us with 3rd and long yardage that risks Cam getting hit.......or a hurried up throw into traffic........

 

Own the game by owning the play calling in the first two downs............with the eye on the prize of moving the chains and the game takes care of itself.